Sydney FC on track to face Liverpool

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Sydney FC are one step away from a dream date with European
champions Liverpool after the draw for the FIFA Club World
Championship in December.

Sydney FC, the Oceania representatives, have been drawn to play
Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa on December 12 in Toyota with the
winner to face Liverpool who were seeded directly into the
semi-finals of the revamped six team competition along with
Brazil's Sao Paulo, holders of the Libertadores Cup.

Oceania representatives Sydney FC, established only last year,
were relishing a potential semi-final against Liverpool.

"Liverpool would be a dream date for us," Sydney's director of
football Andy Harper told Reuters.

"We are under no illusions. It will be difficult to get to the
semi-finals. But Liverpool are a massive club and we would love a
crack at them.

"Australia is still a colony in a lot of ways, so playing
against the motherland will be like the (cricket series) Ashes
revisited."

Sydney are coached by former Germany international Pierre
Littbarski and earlier this year signed former Manchester United
forward Dwight Yorke.

"It will definitely be a step up for us," added Harper. "But you
can't understate the size of the impact these games will have back
home."

South American champions Sao Paulo still do not know the
identity of their opponents in December as both the Asian and
African competitions have yet to be decided.

The winners of the new tournament in Japan from December 11-18
competition receive $US4.5 million ($5.94 million) in prize
money.